Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Kyle Trask warms up before the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Todd Bowles reveals why Bucs moved on from Kyle Trask

Originally posted on Tampa Bay Buccaneers on SI
By River Wells | Last updated Aug 26, 2025 2:39 PM ET

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers had high hopes when they selected quarterback Kyle Trask in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft, but the partnership didn't materialize how either party thought it would.

Trask is set to be released by the Buccaneers after an injured reserve settlement, which will end his tenure with the Bucs after four seasons and one offseason. Trask was set to be Tampa Bay's QB2 when he was extended on a one-year deal this offseason, but quarterback Teddy Bridgewater's arrival midway through camp complicated things. With preseason over, the Bucs have chosen Bridgewater to be Mayfield's backup, and Trask will find a new home.

Head coach Todd Bowles spoke to media after Monday's practice as the cutdown deadline approached, and he explained the decision to take Bridgewater over Trask this year.

Todd Bowles talks Kyle Trask and Teddy Bridgewater

"Obviously, (Bridgewater) brings experience, but he brings a wealth of knowledge — he can command the offense right now," Bowles said. "Him being older has a lot to do with it, but him being accurate and understanding what we're trying to do has a lot to do with it as well.”

Trask wasn't able to do much as a Tampa Bay Buccaneer. He threw just 11 passes at the pro level from 2021-24, completing four of them for 28 yards. Bridgewater, meanwhile, brings a wealth of experience to a Buccaneers team that could use it in the quarterback room. Bridgewater also showed out in preseason, throwing two touchdown passes in the one preseason game he played against the Pittsburgh Steelers with the first-team offense.

Now, Trask will look to move on to another team. There are a few out there that could require his services, so it's unlikely that his NFL career is over — but his tenure with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers has unfortunately come to an end.